Stanford Loses Top Careers Official

Pulin Sanghvi, who successfully led Stanford Graduate School of Business’ career management center, is leaving the school for Princeton.

The news is a coup for Princeton University, which has named Sanghvi executive director of career services at the university,  effective Dec. 1. During his four years at Stanford, Sanghvi has established himself as one of the more thoughtful directors of MBA careers in the world (see Creating an eHarmony Model for MBA Careers and Stanford’s Spiky New Job Strategy for MBAs).

Princeton said the new position is intended to help broaden career exploration and opportunities for all students, and establish new relationships with employers and organizations representing a wide range of interests and fields.

Reporting to Vice President for Campus Life Cynthia Cherrey, Sanghvi will build on existing successful programs and further expand Career Services’ engagement with students interested in the arts, nonprofit organizations and the public sector. He also will help increase the opportunities available to students for internships and employment across the country and around the world.

“Pulin brings diverse and extensive experience with innovative and multidimensional approaches to personal and career development, relationship building and the student experience,” Cherrey said in a statement. “His role will allow Career Services to place greater attention on external outreach to new partners, as well as earlier and more sustained engagement with students from every academic discipline and during each step of their career exploration process.”

‘PRINCETON SHEPHERDS THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW TOWARD LIVES OF IMPACT’

Sanghvi said he was looking forward to promoting the values of a liberal arts education and encouraging students to think about a broad range of possible careers. “Princeton is a university that shepherds the leaders of tomorrow toward lives of contribution and impact on the world, while encouraging a lifelong commitment to curiosity and learning,” Sanghvi said in a news release announcing his hire. “The Office of Career Services can be an important part of that process.”

As executive director, Sanghvi will set the overall vision and goals for Career Services. He will work with the Career Services staff to develop new strategies, programs and partnerships, including strengthening collaborations with other University departments and programs.

Career Services assists undergraduates, graduate students and alumni with all aspects of career planning. It offers resources and programs designed to support the integration of academic and career interests through one-on-one counseling, workshops, internship programs, panels and career fairs, online resources, on-campus recruiting and the Alumni Careers Network.

‘MY FOCUS  HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON HELPING STUDENTS TO THINK BOLDLY AND BROADLY ABOUT THEIR CAREERS’

As assistant dean and director of the Career Management Center at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Sanghvi developed a Career and Life Vision Program to help students explore different opportunities and choose career paths consistent with what matters most to them.

“My focus has always been on helping students to think boldly and broadly about the career possibilities in front of them,” he said

Before joining Stanford in 2009, Sanghvi founded and led a successful career advising practice, Ivy Strategy, for nine years.

At Princeton, Sanghvi will be charged with overseeing key initiatives including:

• Developing and leading an advisory council that includes employers, alumni, faculty members, administrators and leaders in various employment sectors;
• Establishing a partners group of students, faculty and staff to support coordination of career advising between Career Services and other University departments;
• Expanding Career Services’ online resources for all career-related opportunities;
• Pursuing increased international career opportunities; and
• Expanding on- and-off campus learning opportunities in the areas of internships and community service.